Suction-box for paper-making machines.



Patented Nov.'4. |902. w. H. GAGE. SUCTIN BOX FOB'PAPR MAKING MACHINES.

' (Applicationmgd Aug. 14`, 1901.)

(mi vummm' r l I L o w 4,

o N d 4 L `a. A G H. W A 6 5, W. 7 0. .N

SUCTION BOX F08 PAPER MAKING MACHINES.

(Application led Aug. 14, 1901.)

sheets-sheet 2,

(No Model.)

SUCTIN BOX FOR PAPER MAKING MACHINES.

L o N 4, V. o N d e t n e t .a P

W 4 6 nu, m 7 0. N

4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

lApplcantml filed Aug. 14, 1901.)

(N Model.)

wigzssas m PETERS 00,. PHoTaLlmo.. WASHINGTON, u. c.

Patented .New 4, |902 No. H2564,

'-w H. GAG-E. l SUCTIUN BOX FUR `P-APERMAKING ACHINES.

(Application mea Aug. 14, l1901.)

4`Sheets-Sh'eet 4.

(No Modal.)

Y t l WED STATES, ATENT Ormea;

"WALTER HowARD GAGE, or FITCHBURG, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR or oivE-I-IALr` rro GEORGEH. oRooKER, or FITCHBURG, MASSACHUSETTS.

sUCTloN-eoxroe PAPER-MAKING MACHINES.

SPECIFlCATION forming part of Letters I Patent No. 712,664, dated November 4, 1902.

.llpplica'tion` led August 14, 1901. Serial No. 72,1067. (No model.) i

To all whom it. may cojwert: 1 view taken on a different plane. Fig. 6 is an Beit known thatLWALTERHOWARD GAGE, end elevation Showing one of the Aclampinga citizen of the United States, residing at collars in which the ends of the non-revolu- Fitchburg,.in the `county of Vtorcester and. ble inner cylinder are secured.4 Fig. 7 is a 55 5 State of Massachusetts, have invented a new detail vertical longitudinal Sectional view of and useful Suction-Box` for Paper-Making a modified form of my improved suction-box Machines,of which Ihel following is aspeciin which the inner non-revoluble cylinder is fication. A l dispensedwith. Fig. 8 is a verticalrlongitui My invention is` an improved suction-box dinal sectional View taken on a `plane indi- 6o ro for paper-making machines, and comprisesA cated by the line b b of Fig.` t). Fig. 9 is a a relatively `fixed suction-box in combination transverse section taken on a plane indicated with a revoluble perforatedA cylinder over by theline o c of Fig. 7. which thewire and the felt passes, the said 'lhe floor-frame l is provided at its sides cylinder travelingat the same rate as the with `vertical flanges 2,"ha`ving` horizontal 65 x5 wire and felt to avoid friction between lthe transverse threaded openings therein, `in same, and hence. avoid wearing the wire or which openings operate adjusting-screws tearing the felt. 1 The said floor-frameis further provided with One object of my invention is to eiect an vertically-disposed adjusting and Supporting improvement in the construction of the suc- Screws 4. On the latterissupported a later- 7o zo tionbo'X whereby the heads forming the ends ally and vertically adj estable frame 5, the t of the same may be adjusted to increase or Sides of which are engagedby theinner ends A decrease the effective length of the box, and of the screws 3. The adjustable frame 5 is hence enable the sameto heused in connee-` `provided on its outer side with outwardlytion with the perforated revolublecylinder projecting arms 6, the outer ends of which 75 z5 in the making of paper of varying widths. are upturned and connected together by a A further object of my invention is to efbasefplate 7,whichis formed integrally therefect improvements `in the means to adjust with and with the frame 5 and is provided at the suction-box with relation tothe revolnhle its ends with Vertical anges S. Horizonperforated cylinder in which it is disposed. tally-disposedinwardly-projectingadjusting- So 5o A further object` of myinvention is to proscrews t) operate in threaded openings in the Vide improved means for packing the joints said flanges S.` Vertically-disposed adjustbetween the suction-bor; and the `revoluble ing andsupporting screws lO also operate in perforated cylinderto enableanefcient vacuthreaded openings in said'base-plate 7. A l um to he maintained in the'suction-box. plate ll` is supported on the upper ends of the 85 35 With these and other objects in View my ScrewslOLiS clamped between the horizoninvention consists in the peculiar construc-` tally-di`sposed screws 9, and by means of the tion and combination ofdevices hereinafter latter may be adjusted laterally. A clampfully Set forth 'and claimed. ing-collar 12 has its lower section formed in- In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis tegrally withfthe adjustable plate ll. The 9o 4o a vertical sectional view taken transversely said clampingcollarcomprises the lowersemithrough the perforated cylinder and the snccircular section 13 and the upper semicircntion-box, showing the` latter and the inner lar section la, which is hinged to said Section non-revoluble cylinder-in operative relation 13 at one side, asat l5. The said sections to the perforated cylinder and showing the of the said clamping-collarare formed with 95 45 supports forthe latter which adapt the same outwardlyprojecting j lugs 16 on4 the sides to he rotated andreduce friction. Fig. 2 is` thereof opposite the hinge cohpisction l5, and a vertical longitudinal sectional View of the a clamping-bolt 16 connects th said lugs tosame. Fig.` 3 is adetail sectional elevation gether and adapts the upper section 14. of the through one side of the suction-box. 4 Fig.` 4. collar to be adjusted toward or from the lower noo 5o is a detail transverse sectional View of the section l5 thereof. rPhe said clamping-colsame on a larger scale. Fig. 5" is a similar lar is provided on its inner side with an a11- nular groove 18. The said adjustable frame 5 is provided on its upper side with a standard 19, the same being provided with a series of bearings 2O for antifriction-rollers 21,which rollers are disposed in a semicircular line. The said standard is further provided at its upper'sides, at a point substantially opposite the upper roller 21, with a radially-disposed guide 22, in which is an adjustable bearing 23. The said guide 22 has an adjustingscrew 24, the inner end of which is swiveled to the said bearing 23, as at 25, and by means of which the said bearing may be adjusted radially. In the said bearing 23 is mounted an` antifriction-roller 26. The said rollers 2l and 23 are disposed in the same vertical plane.

In practice two of the frames 1 5, constructed as hereinbeforedescribed,willbe employed, and the same may be disposed at a suitable distance from each other.

In the embodiment of my invention I provide a revoluble cylinder 27, in which the suction-box is disposed. The said cylinder 27 has an imperforate section 28 at each end and a perforated intermediate section 29, the width of which perforated intermediate section is equal to that of the widest paper made bythe machinein connection with which my improved suction-box is employed. The perforations in the said cylinder 27 extend entirely around the same. At or near the ends of the revoluble cylinder 27 are collars 30, in which the said cylinder is placed, the said collars being secured on the said cylinder by means of bolts 3l or other suitable devices. The said collars are provided with peripheral annular grooves or treadways 32, in which the rollers 21 23 operate, the said rollers serving to support the said cylinder and adapting` the latter to be rotated, as will be understood. The said rollers form antifriction-bearings for the said cylinder. The latter is provided at one end with a ring-gear 33, which is secured thereon by bolts 34 or other suitable means, and the said ring-gear is engaged by a kpinion 35 on a power-shaft 36. The bearings for the latter are not here shown; but it will be understood that suitable bearings must be provided therefor. From the foregoing it will be understood that power may be communicated to the roller 27 and the .same rotated when the paper-making machine provided with peripheral annular flanges 39,

that operate in the grooves 18 with which the clamping-collars 12 are provided.- The suction-box is disposed in the upper side of said cylinder 37 at a point midway between the ends of the latter, and that portion ofthe said cylinder 37 which is over the said suction-box is'cut away, as at 41, to form the open outer side of saidsuction-box. In Fig. 1 ofthe drawings the said opening 41 is shown as directly in the upper side of the inner cylinder 37; but in practice the said opening will be on one side of the upper portion of said cylinder 37. Owing to the fact that inner cylinder 37 is supported by the clampingcollars 12 the same may be adjusted to dispose the suction-box at any desired point within the outer cylinder, and when so adjusted may be rmly clamped in position by means of the bolts 17 and the hinged upper sections of the clamping collars. By adjusting the plates 11 by means of the adjusting-screws 9 10 the inner cylinder may be adjusted within the outer cylinder as may be required, and hence the open side of the suction-box may be at all times maintained in close engagement with the inner side of the outer revoluble perforated cylinder.

In the form of my invention shown in Fig. 1 the sides 42 of the suction-box diverge outwardly toward the outer cylinder, and the same are provided with recesses 43, the outer sides of which are open. In the recessed sides of the suction-box are packing-strips 44, which vare preferably made of Babbitt metal and which bear against-the inner side of the revoluble perforated cylinder 27 to pack the joints between the same and the sides of the suction-box. The said packingstrips are dovetailed to bars 45, which are composed-of separable sections 46, connected together by screws 47. In the lower side of each recessed side of the suction-box is disposed a longitudinally-movable bar 48, on the upper side ot' which are wedge-shaped keys 49. A bar is disposed between each bar 48 and bar 45 and is provided-on its lower side with wedge-shaped keys 51, which are engaged by the keys 49. Said bar 50 is'provided with adjusting slots or guides 52, in

which operate pins 53, which pass trans-` versely through the sides of the suction-box. Said pins and slots coact as guides for the bars 50 to adapt the latter to be adjusted in planes at right angles to their axes. The said bars 50 are recessed in their sides which are opposed to thel bars 45, as at 54, and in the said recesses are, seated springs 55, which bear against the said bars 45 and press the packing-strips outwardly against the perforated cylinder. It will be understood that by adjust-ing the key-bars 48 longitudinally the tension of the said springs may be varied to increase or decrease the friction between the perforated cylinder and the packing-strips 44 at will. Hence tight joints may be maintained between the sides of the suction-box and the revoluble 'perforated cylinder without creating undue friction. Any suitable means may within the scope of my invention be employed for adjusting the keybars 48. I show adjusting-screws 56 for this purpose,which are swiveled in glands 57 at IOO IIO

IIS

the ends of the sides of the suction-box, the said adjustingscrews engaging threaded openings 58, with which the said key-bars -18 are provided.

At each end of the suction-box is ahead 59. The said suction-box is further provided with sliding heads 60. Each sliding head is provided on its outer side with a slide 61, which is adapted to cover the sides of the perforated section of cylinder 27 to any desired extent, according to the width of the paper that is beingmade on the machine and accordingly as the width of the space between the decklestraps is narrowed or widened. It will be understood that the said slide Glpartially covers the ends of the suction-box, in effect enabling the length of the vacuum portion thereof to be varied. The heads 59 of the suction-box are recessed, as at 62, to receive packin-gs 63, which bear against the under sides ofthe slides 61. Said packings are supported and compressed by springs 64, and the tension of the latter may be varied at will by means of adjusting-screws 65, with which the heads of the suction-box are provided. Each of the sliding heads 60 comprises an outer section 66 and an inner section 67. Between the said sections is a spring 68, which is preferably a solid block of rubber, and also disposed between the said. sections of each sliding head in the side thereof opposite the inner side of the revolu'ole perforated cylinder `is a packing 69, which packings 69 are arcshaped on their outer sides to adapt them to t snugly against the inner side of the revoluble perforated cylinder. The Width of the said packings 69 must be something less than the thickness of the rubber spring-blocks 68, so that the latter may be compressed between the sections 66 67 to keep the pack-` ings 69 closely in engagement withthe revoluble perforated cylinder. `rlhe said sliding heads 60 are movable longitudinally in the suction-box bymeans of rods 70, which pass through suitable stuiing-boxes 7l in the ends 'of the suction-box and are provided at their outer ends with suitable handles 72; by which they may be either moved longitudinally or` of said sliding heads 60 on said rubber springblocks 68 may be varied `to vary the friction between the. packings 69 and the inner side of the revoluble perforated cylinder as may be required. The usual suction-pipe 76 leads from the suction-box and is provided With a valve 77, `which is operated-.by-a rod 78.

By turning said' rods the compression of the sections 66 67- In operation the revoluble perforated cylinder containing the suction box, as described, is placed ontsideof the couch-roll of a cylinder paper-making machine and on one side of the vat, the felt passing around the said `cylinder. The sliding covers 61 keep the water from the felt beyond the sides of the sheet of paper formed on the felt, and, in connection with `the packings hereinbefore described, exclude air from the suction-box, hence enabling an effective vacuum to be mainlainedtherein. The adjustable frames 5 enable the cylinder to be adjusted and maintained in perfect adjustment with relation to the other elements of the paper-making machine.

In Figs. 7, 8, and 9 I showa modified form of my invention, in which the inner cylinder 27 is dispensed with and the suction-box has its ends connected-to and directly supported bythe rings 38, as at 79. In this form of my invention the suction-box is provided on its under side at its ends with outwardly and downwardly projecting lugs 80, which have notches 8l in their lower sides. Truss-rods 82 are disposed longitudinally under the suctionbox, are engaged in the said notches 81, and the ends thereof are secured to the ends of the suction-box, as at 83. It will be understood that said truss-rods brace and strengthen the suction-box to enable the same to withstand the stress to which it is subjected. In this form of my invention the sides of the suctionbox are parallel, the space between them being relatively narrow, and the suction-box is provided with a movable false bottom 85. The packing-stri ps 44, which are constructed of Babbitt metal,are channeled in their upper sides, as at 86 to form chambers for the reception of water, which formsa packing or sealing medium between the packing-strips and the upper inner side of the perforated revoluble cylinder27. In this form of my invention the packing-strips Min the sides of the suction-box are dovetailedto supporting-bars sion Aof the said springsh may be varied as in ay be required. Formed with or securely attached to the bottom 88and sides `of the suction-box at the ends thereof areheads 89.

The movable false bottom ofthe suctionbox `is slightly .shorter than the space-between the `fixed heads 89, that form the ends of the suction-box, and the said movable false bottom is provided on its upper side,nearits ends, with transversely disposed heads 90. tween the same and the approximate fixed heads 89f-are disposed rubber or other suitto A IIO

able packing-blocks 91, which are compressed between the said heads 89 90.- The sliding heads are formed on their under sides with depending anges or heads 60, each of the said sliding heads having a pair of said depending flanges, and between the latter are rubber or other suitable packing-blocks 92, which bear upon the movable false bottom and eectually pack the joints between the same and said sliding heads. The slides 61 of the latter are provided on their upper sides with longitudinal dovetail tongues 93, and I provide each of the said slides with'a packing-strip 94, which is made of Babbitt metal and is provided on its under side with a dovetail groove to receive the dovetail tongue of one of the said slides. Hence the said packing-strips are secured on the said slides and bear against the under side of the upper portion of the perforated revoluble cylinder. It will be observed by reference to Fig. 8 that chambers 96 are formed in the ends of the suction-box between the packingblocks 91 92, which chambers may be supplied with water through the pipes 97 to more effectually exclude air from the box through the ends thereof.

The movable false bottom of the suctionbox is provided on its lower side with bearing-studs 98. A shaft 99 extends longitudinally under the bottom of the suction-box and is disposed in bearings 100, which depend from the bottom of the suction-box. Keyed on the said shaft are aseries of eccentric cams 101, which bear under the bearingstuds 98 and are each provided in one side with an eccentric annular groove-102, whichA is engaged by a detent 103, with which each of the said bearing-studs is provided. In practice the said detents are separable from the said bearing-studs and are here shown as detachably connected thereto by bolts or screws 104. The grooves 102, while eccentrically disposed, are concentric with the perimeters of the said cams. It will be understood from the foregoing that by turning the shaft 99 the cams 101 may be caused to raise the movable false bottom of the suctionbox to compress the packing-blocks 91 92, and also to compress the heads 60 and the slide 61 closely against the revoluble'perforated cylinder. By moving the shaft 99 endwise in one direction a slight distance the cams 101 may besimultaneously disengaged from the detents 104 to release the connection between the said shaft and the movable false bottom of the suction-box to facilitate the disassembling of the parts of the latter. A collar 105 is secured on the said shaft 99, as bya screw 10G, and bears against one end of the suctionbox to lock the said shaft against longitudinal movement when the detents 103 are engaged with the grooves 102 of the eccentric cams- I provide the bottom of the suctionbox with casings 107 to inclose the eccentric cams, the bearing-lugs, and the detents, as

, viaee.

shown in-Fig. 9. The slide-rods70, which operate the slides in this form of my invention, are detachably connected to the slides, as at 108, whereby when the slides have been adjustedthe said rods may be removed to prevent them from projecting outwardly beyond the ends of the revoluble perforated cylinder, where they would be in the way. The suction-box is further provided at a suitable distance from one end of the said revoluble perforated cylinder with a clamp 109, which is here shown as a bearing having a xed jaW 110 and a movable jaw 111 to engage the shaft 99 and a bolt 112 to clamp said jaws on said shaft, the said bolt having a winged nut 113, which is adapted to be readily turned by hand. When the shaft 99 has been turned to cause the sliding heads and the packed slides thereof to engage the inner side of the revoluble perforated cylinder to effect air-tight joints therewith, the said shaft may be secured at said adjustment by tightening the n'ut 113, as will be readily understood. Other modiications may be made Without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I do not therefore limit myself to the precise construction and combination of devices herein shown and described..

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. The combination of a revoluble perforated cylinder, concentrically-disposed bearing-rollers supporting the same, relatively fixed bearings for said rollers, and bearingrollers, in movable bearings, engaging one side of the cylinder above the axis thereof, whereby said cylinder may be unshipped from said bearing-rollers, and means to set said movable bearings, with a suction-box in said cylinder, substantially as described.

2. The combination of vertically and laterally adj ustable frames, a revoluble perforated cylinder having its bearings on said frame,

Y whereby either end of said cylinder may be adjusted vertically and laterally, vertically and laterally adjustable supports, and a suction-box inand extending through said cylinder, said suction-box being non-revoluble and carried by said vertically and laterally adjustable supports, substantially as described.

3. In combination with a revoluble perforated cylinder, a relatively fixed suction-box within the same and having adjustable heads to widen or narrow the effective perforated portion of the cylinder, said heads having slides extending outwardly therefrom and bearingr against the inner side of the perforated revcluble cylinder, to keep the water from the felt beyond the sides of the sheet of paper formed on the felt, substantially as described.

l. In combination with a revoluble perforated cylinder, a relatively fixed suction-box, movable packings to close the joints between said cylinder and suction-box, springs to com- IOO IZO

` rated cylinder, bearings therefor, a relatively press said packings, and means to vary the tension of said springs, substantially as described.

5. In combination with a revoluble perforated cylinder, a relatively fixed suction-box, bearing against the same, said suction-box having duid-packing chambers on the side thereof opposed to said cylinder, substantially as described.

6. In combination with a revoluble perforated cylinder, independently adjustable bearings for the respective ends thereof, a relatively fixed suction-box to bear against one side of the cylinder, and independentlyadjustable supports for the respective ends of said suction-box, substantially as described.

7. In combination with a revoluble perfoixed suction-box to bear against one side thereof, annular bearings to support said suction-box and means to adjust said annular supporting-bearings, substantially as described.

S. In combination with a revoluble cylinder, having non-perforate end sections and a perforated intermediate portion, a relatively fixed suction-box to bear against one side of said cylinder, adjustable heads disposed within the ends of said suction-box, said heads having outwardly-extending slides to bear 1 against one side of said cylinder, compression-springs to support said heads, means to vary the tension of said springs, and means to adj ust the suction-box and hence the heads, radially toward one side of the cylinder, substantially as described.

9. In combination with a revoluble perforated cylinder, a relatively fixed suctionbox to bear against one side thereof, adjustable heads within the ends of said suction-box, to bear against said cylinder, and iuid packings between said heads and the ends of said box, substantially as described.

10.` The combination of vertically and laterally adjustableframes, having concentrically-disposed bearing-rollers, a revoluble per- 

